


Writing Their Own Happy Ending

by Dreamin



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Writing & Publishing, Editor Armitage, F/M, Personal Assistant Ben, Writer Rose, photographer Rey, reylo mentioned
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-12
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:07:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25215952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreamin/pseuds/Dreamin
Summary: When Hux suggests she write romance novels, Rose admits she doesn't have any real experience with romantic relationships. He has an interesting solution.
Relationships: Armitage Hux/Rose Tico
Comments: 42
Kudos: 43





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [afteriwake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/gifts).



> afteriwake gave me the idea for this and I was dying to try it.

Rose carried the cardboard drinks holder with its two coffees along with her purse and laptop bag through the lobby of the publishing house’s headquarters and over to the elevator. Her editor had requested a meeting and Rose had no idea what she was walking into.

As the elevator rose to his floor, she tried once again to figure out what was going on. _My urban legends book was well-received by the critics and the sales are good, last time I checked. We haven’t discussed my next book yet but he would’ve mentioned it on the phone if that’s what this is about. Ugh… I’m making myself crazy obsessing over this._

By the time she got to Hux’s office, she was determined that whatever he had planned, she’d accept it with her usual grace. His assistant Ben grinned at her.

“Hey, Rose. Congrats on the new book, love the chapter on movie urban legends.”

She smiled at him gratefully. “Hi, Ben. Thanks, it’s my favorite chapter. How’d your date with Rey go?” Rey was her best friend, Rose had set up the blind date between the two of them when she realized they’d be good together. Of course, Rey had already told her that it was her best first date ever.

Ben blushed slightly but his smile was happy. “It was great. Thanks again for setting us up.”

Rose grinned. “You’re so welcome. Is Hux ready for me?” Her editor hated his first name and she went along with his request to use his surname exclusively, except when she really wanted to get under his skin.

“Always,” he said, smirking, as he held open the door for her. “Go on in.”

Rolling her eyes, she walked into the office. Hux had a corner office with floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides. There was a sectional couch in one corner, a round table that seated four, and his desk. All the furniture was ultra-modern, a stark contrast to Rose’s cozy desk at home. Hux himself was seated there, typing on his phone, and didn’t stop until she set one of the coffees in front of him. He was also a contrast to her – tall, wiry, red-haired, and always in an immaculate suit and tie, while she was petite and curvy with black hair and a preference for comfort over style.

He gave her one of his trademark half-smiles, which that never failed to make her feel _something_ but, as always, she ignored it. _Getting involved with someone at work is never a good idea._

“Hi,” he said. “You’re early, as usual.”

Rose chuckled as she set down her purse and laptop bag on the plush carpet then sat on one of the comfy chairs in front of the desk with her own coffee. “You know me, I can’t stand to be late. So … um … what’s this about?”

“Nothing bad,” he said reassuringly, “so you can put away that worried little wrinkle between your eyes.”

She rolled her eyes, finally relaxing for the first time since his call. “Okay, then what is so important, but not bad, that you couldn’t tell me over the phone?”

“We think it’s time you expanded your horizons,” he said proudly. “You’ve done so well with the folklore books and we think you’d do just as well writing novels. Specifically, paranormal romance novels.”

Rose stared at him. _Shit…_ “Hux, for one thing, I’m not a novelist.”

“You’re a talented writer. Besides that, the only thing you need to do to be a novelist is write a novel.”

She rolled her eyes at that. “If it’s so simple, then why don’t you do it?”

Hux smirked. “You know what they say – those who can’t write, edit.”

“Right,” she said, smiling a bit, but then her smile fell as she faced her predicament again. “Then there’s the fact that I’d be terrible at writing romance?”

“Why?” he asked, genuinely curious.

“‘Write what you know.’ It’s why I write books about folklore after being a summer camp counselor for so many years.”

Hux leaned back in his chair, his hands clasped at his waist. “You’re saying you don’t know anything at all about romance? I find that hard to believe.”

She sighed quietly – the last person she wanted to admit this to was him. “I’m saying I’ve never been in a good relationship. All of my past boyfriends were absolute losers. I gave up dating over a year ago.”

He frowned. “This can’t be right – you’re an intelligent, good-hearted, attractive woman. You’re telling me you don’t have men regularly falling at your feet?”

“Not regularly, occasionally, or even rarely.” The fact that Hux had complimented her was doing odd things to her heart. _Down, girl._

“They’re idiots,” he declared firmly.

Rose smiled a bit. “Yeah, tell me something I don’t know.”

He thought for a moment. “You matched up Ben and your friend Rey admirably. Would you permit me to do the same for you?”


	2. Chapter 2

Hux watched as Rose went through what she would call a “face journey” as she processed his question. He wasn’t even sure he could name every emotion that flickered on her pretty face but he did catch disbelief, wariness, and finally suspicion.

“Why would you do that?” she asked. “You’re my editor, not some paid matchmaker.”

“You’re my friend,” he said simply. “Or at least, I like to think so.”

Another face journey, this one dominated by disbelief. “Of course we’re friends.”

“Then let me do this for you.”

She raised an eyebrow. “What do you get out of it? Besides me becoming the next big vampire romance writer or whatever, I mean.”

He smiled faintly. “Isn’t seeing you happy enough of a reason?” She didn’t have an answer for that, so he decided to go ahead with his spontaneous plan. Turning on his laptop, he brought up a blank document. “What do you want in a boyfriend?”

She shifted uncomfortably in the chair. “What every woman wants.”

Hux chuckled. “Rose, if I knew what women want, I wouldn’t be single myself.”

She smiled a bit. “Somebody who makes me laugh, somebody who listens to what I have to say, who makes me feel special.”

“What about something a little more … concrete? Physical appearance?”

“Doesn’t matter,” she said without hesitation.

“Age?”

“Thirty to forty-five.”

He nodded and typed in her answer. “Height?”

Rose smirked. “Taller than me, which shouldn’t be hard.”

“Not hard at all,” he said, smiling again as he typed. “Occupation?”

“As long as he’s gainfully employed, it doesn’t matter what he does for a living.” She paused. “But no one who works here.”

Hux clamped down on his sudden disappointment. _This isn’t about me._ “Any other requirements?”

“That’s it, really.” She sighed quietly. “Look, I’m just humoring you, Hux – I don’t expect you to find anyone. Well, anyone but losers. I just don’t attract decent guys.”

_You attract me,_ he wanted to say but stopped himself. “There must be decent men that meet your standards somewhere.”

“On another planet, maybe, but not this one.” She gathered her things and stood up. “Call me if you find one, but I won’t hold my breath.”

Hux smiled a bit as he stood. “Have a little faith in me, Rose.”

She smiled sadly. “I have complete faith in you, I just have no faith in men in general.”

Both of her simple declarations moved him and he knew he needed to say something, anything. “Rose-”

“I really should go,” she said quickly. “See ya.”

He held the door for her as she left his office. “Have a good day.”

“You too.”

As soon as she had left the anteroom, Ben grinned at him. “I’m glad you already got your Rose fix for the day.”

Hux rolled his eyes as he went back to his desk. “I’m not addicted to her.”

Ben stood in the doorway. “Yes, you are. And from what Rey said-”

“You talked to Rey about us?” he asked, surprised.

“It was a first date, what were we going to talk about besides our mutual friends? Anyway, she says Rose thinks you’re the authority on everything.”

“I sincerely doubt that,” Hux muttered as he sat down in his chair. “I think I just upset her.”

“What did you do?” Ben asked as he plopped into the chair Rose had just vacated.

“I told her about the paranormal romance idea.”

“And…?”

“She said she didn’t have enough experience with romantic relationships to write a realistic romance novel.”

“And…?”

Hux sighed quietly. “I suggested I matchmake for her like she did for you and Rey. She doesn’t think I’ll succeed.”

Ben rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I can see where she’d be offended. Rey said that all of Rose’s past boyfriends were losers of one type or another.”

“Then what do I do?”

“The way I see it, you have two options – one, forget about the romance novels and the matchmaking, just have a heart-to-heart with her outside of the office.”

“I can’t see that working,” he muttered. “What’s the other option?”

Ben smiled a bit. “Find a guy for her that’s so perfect that she’ll be indebted to you forever.”

The idea of his matchmaking actually working and Rose finding love with someone else had jealousy curling in his chest. “I … I’m not sure I want that either.”

Ben’s smile turned into a shit-eating grin. “You’re in love with Rose. Just admit it to yourself and go with the first option.”

“She doesn’t want to date someone she works with.”

“Convince her otherwise.” He got up. “Meanwhile, some of us have actual work to do.”

Hux rolled his eyes as his assistant went back to his desk, chuckling. As soon as the door was closed, he turned back to the document. _I will find the right man for Rose, and I know that isn’t me._ His heart sank at the realization but he ignored it.


	3. Chapter 3

That evening, Rey was editing her latest batch of photos when her phone chirped with an incoming text.

**I was reminded today of the abysmal state of my love life. I need a distraction. -Rose**

She couldn’t help grinning as she typed back, **Chocolate or alcohol? -Rey**

**Both? -Rose**

**Sit tight, I’ll bring the distractions to you. -Rey**

When she walked into Rose’s apartment with shopping bags full of ice cream, chocolates, and wine coolers, Rey wasn’t surprised to see Rose angrily attacking the dirty pots and pans in the sink.

“Hi.” She set the bags on the small island then put the ice cream in the fridge before opening one of the wine coolers and holding it out to her. “Please tell me one of the heinous exes isn’t getting married.”

Rose took the bottle and took a sip before answering, “No, nothing like that.”

“Then what?” She hopped onto the nearby counter and took a sip from her own bottle.

“Hux wants to find me a boyfriend.”

Rey spit out the sip she’d just taken. “What?!”

Rose sighed quietly then put the pot she had just rinsed in the drying rack before turning to the shopping bags and pulling out the box of Godiva, her favorite. “They want me to write paranormal romance novels. When I told Hux I can’t write romance without, you know, actually experiencing it, he offered to be my matchmaker.” She opened the box and grabbed one of the caramels then popped it into her mouth.

“That can’t be right – Ben’s convinced Hux is in love with you.”

Rose rolled her eyes. “I don’t think Armitage Ormond Hux has ever been in love his entire life. At best, we’re just friends.”

Rey grinned. “Was it you who said Hux was hot the last time you got plastered or was that one of my other friends?”

Her grin widened as her best friend blushed furiously before grabbing the box of chocolates and taking it and her wine cooler out of the kitchen area and over to the sitting area. “People say all sorts of stupid things when they’re drunk.”

Rey hopped down then followed her, still grinning. “‘In vino veritas,’ Rose. Which, by the way, is the full extent of my Latin vocabulary. Anyway, you were telling the truth, even if you don’t want to admit it now. You think Hux is hot.”

Rose plopped into the sofa. “Okay, fine, he’s hot. But he’s my editor. I made the mistake of dating a guy I worked with once, I won’t do it again.”

Rey smiled to herself as a plan formed in her head. “What movie should we watch?”

“I don’t care,” Rose muttered as she ate another chocolate.

“ _Much Ado About Nothing_?”

She looked up at that “Branagh’s or Whedon’s?”

“You decide.”

“Branagh’s, that one makes me feel less stabby.”

Rey grinned. “Branagh’s it is.”

While Rose was wrapped up in the movie, Rey sent a text to her new boyfriend.

**Are you free for dinner tomorrow? -Rey**

**For you, I’m free all the time. -Ben**

She grinned at that. **We need to talk about Rose and Hux. -Rey**

**I hope that’s not all we’re doing. ;) -Ben**

“Tell Ben I said hi,” Rose said, smirking.

Rey blushed. “Sorry, new relationship high.” **Rose says hi. And it definitely won’t be all we’re doing. -Rey**

“Don’t apologize – I’m just glad one of us has something worth smiling about.”

_It’s official,_ Rey thought, _we need to get them together._


	4. Chapter 4

After he got home, Hux worked late into the night on the list of potential matches for Rose, only to reject all of them by the time midnight struck. _None of them are good enough for her. She … she’s perfect, she deserves the best._

He spent the rest of the night tossing and turning in bed, unable to get Rose out of his mind. Giving up on sleep when his alarm went off, he forced himself to get up and start his morning routine instead of taking a sick day like his tired body wanted to.

By the time Hux walked into the anteroom of his office, already sipping his second coffee, Ben was hard at work on Hux’s schedule for the following week.

“You look like death warmed over,” Ben said, blunt as always.

Hux rolled his eyes. “I had a sleepless night. And before you ask, yes, I was alone.”

Ben smirked. “I already knew that – Rey spent the evening at Rose’s, watching sappy movies and eating chocolate like it’s going out of style.”

_Rose was that upset?_ Guilt swirled in him, but he shoved it aside. _As soon as I find her the right man, everything will be fine._

It was a lie and he knew it.

* * *

Rose picked up her phone then immediately set it down again several times throughout the day. The urge to call Hux and tell him to forget the whole thing was strong, but the need to not disappoint him was even stronger.

She tried to concentrate on writing a sequel to her book of campfire tales but all she could think of was Hux. _God, why can’t I just ask him out?_

Her mind flashed back to her relationship with another camp counselor years before and how it had made her job hell after they broke up. _My work relationship with Hux is too important, we have to stay just friends._

* * *

Over dinner that night, while their friends were miserably alone, Rey and Ben plotted as they shared Chinese take-out.

“How about the next time Rose shows up at the office, I simply lock the two of them in a closet,” he suggested, smirking.

“No good,” Rey said, waving her chopsticks around dismissively, “they’ll simply ignore each other until the door’s unlocked. Obvious won’t work on them, we need to go for subtle.”

Ben grinned. “It’s not subtle, but both of them are going to a convention in Chicago next week. I made the hotel reservations; I could just call the hotel and say they only need one room.”

She raised an eyebrow, smirking. “‘There was only one bed?’ Stuff like that only works in fanfic, this is real life.”

He smirked back. “Where do you think the clichés come from?”

Rey thought it over for a moment. “Call the hotel. I’ll take care of Rose.”

Ben nodded. “And I’ll make sure Hux doesn’t have to cancel at the last minute.”

“Do you think they’ll still speak to us afterwards?” she asked, grinning.

“Hell, they’ll make us Maid of Honor and Best Man at their wedding.”


End file.
